Margaritaville at Sea will introduce its newest and largest ship, Beachcomber, sailing from the Port of Galveston starting October 2027. The ship will offer cruises lasting four to seven nights from this Texas homeport.
Prior to its deployment in Galveston, Beachcomber will operate four to eight night Caribbean itineraries from PortMiami. These sailings will visit ports including Aruba, Key West, Curaçao, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Belize, Progreso, Roatán, Cozumel, Grand Bahama Island, Bimini, and Veracruz, Mexico. Veracruz represents a new port of call for the Galveston cruise market. The vessel, previously operated by Costa Cruises, will feature more than 15
new onboard experiences while retaining Margaritaville staples such as 5 o’Clock Somewhere, Hemisphere Dancer, Cheeseburger in Paradise, and License to Chill.
Galveston Cruise Market Growth and Lineup
Galveston ranks as the fourth-largest cruise homeport in the United States with four cruise terminals. Passenger movements at Galveston increased from 1.9 million in 2017 to an expected 3.9 million in 2026, with around 445 sailings projected that year. Currently, Carnival, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean operate year-round from Galveston, while Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line deploy seasonally. Margaritaville at Sea will become the seventh cruise line homeported at Galveston, alongside Regent Seven Seas which is the
eighth. Officials anticipate total passenger movements at the port could approach six million by 2030.
Expanded Cruise Options with Beachcomber
The arrival of Beachcomber expands cruise options for travelers at Galveston by adding new four to seven night itineraries that include previously inaccessible destinations from the port, such as Veracruz. Christopher Ivy, Chief Executive Officer of Margaritaville at Sea, said, “With Beachcomber, we’re giving guests an incredible ship and more choices for where their vacation can take them, including places they simply can’t reach on other cruises from Galveston.” These new routes increase vacation choices for cruisers departing from Texas.
